Sizing apparatus for fruit



Dec. 25, 1928. 1,696,554

A. w. PHELPS SIZING APPARATUS FOR FRUIT, MELONS, VEGETABLES, AND THE LIKE Filed Oct. 4, 1926 Patented Dec. 25,1928. I

ALBERT W. PHELPS, OF HEBER, OALIL'FORNIA.

SIZING- AlPZ-LBATUS FOR FRUIT, MELONS, VEGETABLES, AND THE LIKE.

' Application filed October 4, 1926. Serial No. 139,278.

lhis invention relates to apparatus, the hand sorting table 1 having conveyor means 55 purpose OI WVlHCh is to effectt-he sorting of for advancing the fruit or melons. This fruit, melons or the like into different grades means is in the form of endless belts or a belt and sizes. Fruit of some kinds, and particu- 2 which passes around longbelt pulleys or 5 larly melons, have a considerable variation or rollers 3. The receiving end i of this table range in quality and size and if it is attemptis not divided longitudinally, but the re- 60 ed tov construct a machine or sorting table to inainder is divided into apluralityofrunways sort all the different sizes which occur, the corresponding, for example, to four different size of the machine and the cost would render grades; and these runways are used to enable it impractical. tie fruit to be separated by hand according The general object of this invention is to to their grades. At the side of this sorting 65 produce simple apparatus in which the sortable, an operator or operators are located, a ing process may be carried on partially by indicated by the dotted lines 5. These operhand, and which will operate to size and ators handle the fruit as it passes and place or grade fruit or melons having a great range in guide the #1 grade in the runway at one'edge size and grade. One of my objects is to proof the table and the #2 grade in the runway 70 vide simple apparatus for this purpose which all the other edge of the table. The #3 and will be suitable forgrowers producing a small 4 grades are placed in the two intermediate "quantity of fruit, as well as for larger quai runways. In this way the fruit on this sorttim ing table is divided according to the grades Another object of the invention is to prodesired. 75

vide means for engaging the fruitor melons In order to form the runways, thespace as they pass along the sizing tables in such above the belt toward its delivery end may be a way a t d flect the same to bins without divided into channels by means of l0ng1tucausing any injury to the skins or rinds. l l bars 6 (S g- Th rs eXtend Further objects of the invention will appart of the length of the conveyor means, so pear hereinafter. 1. e., they extend from the delivery end of the The invention consists in the novel parts onveyor means toward its receiving end. and combination of parts to be described The belts or belt Qdelivers the graded fruit hereinafter, all of which contribute to proonto an extension table 8 carrying the run-' duce an efficient sizing apparatus for fruit, ways 9 corresponding in width to the width melons, vegetables and the like. of the fruit. The runways 9 deliver the fruit A preferred embodiment of the invention onto lateral tables 10. V is described in the following specification, These sizing tables 10 extend laterally in 35 while the broad scope of the invention is a horizontal direction and extend along past pointed out in the appended claims. a plurality of bins 11 which are to receive Inthe drawing the fruit or melons difterent sizes. The Figure 1 is a plan of apparatus embodying out-er end of belt 2 passes around a pulley 12. my invention showing four units with three On these sizing tables 10, the sizing is cf- 4 sizes. footed mechanically but this is done by means Figure/21s a side elevation of the apparawhich will not in ure the fruit or melons. v tus shown in Fig. 1; For this purpose, above each sorting table 10 Figure 3 a cross section taken about on I provide a sizing device 17, such as illusthe line 3-3 of Fig. l, andillustrating detrated iiiFig. 5. This sizing device is attails of the mechanical sizing tables and bins. tached at its upper end to a transverse bar or Figure 4 is a cross section taken about on the arm 13 which may be constructed as part of line s% of Fig. 1, and particularly illustrata bracket 14 attached to the side of the sorting the sorting table where the sorting occurs ing table. This sizing 'device is provided at by hand. its lower edge with a deflector 15 which is 50 Figure 5 is a vertical section through one constructed of a soft material such as sheet of the sizing devices which are employed over rubber or a fabric having sufficient stifiness the mechanical sorting tables for sizing the to deflect the fruit without injuring it. This fruit without injury. deflector is preferably constructed as a flap In practicing the invention, I provide a extending in an inclined direction with its lower edge substantially horizontal, and it is secured only at its upper edge 16, the side edges'being free so as to permit the flap to flex, if nece sary, when engaged by the fruit. This upper edge 16 is attached to a block 17, and this block is mounted on the arm or bar 13 so that it can be adjusted up or down to regulate the distance of the lower edgeof the flap above the surface of the sorting table on moving belt 2.

For this purpose the upper end of the block is provided with a threaded stem 18 which extends through the bar 13 and is provlded with a nut 19 above the bar, and a nut 20 below the same for clamping the stem at any height desired. These flaps 15 are held diagpnallv or inclined squarely across the sorting tables 10 and opposite the different bins 11. The bins nearest to the belt 2 would carry the larger sizes, and therefore the flaps 15 of the corresponding sizing devices would be furthest from the surface of the belt 2. The sizing devices at the outer ends of the sorting tables 10 would be the nearest to the surface of the tables, while the sizing devices for the intermediate bins would be at an intermediate height; as many sizes as wanted can be added.

In some cases it may be desirable to treat the fruit or melons in a disinfectant bath or coating 21 (see Fi 2). This bath would be placed in a tank or bin 22 which may be at a lower level than the sorting table 1. In this event, I provide an endless conveyor or elevator 23 which has carriers 2 for carrying the fruit up and delivering it onto the sorting table 1.

In operating this apparatus, the fruit on the receiving end 4 of the sorting table 1 is graded by hand into different grades by placing the same in the different runways 9. These runways deliver to the dilferent mechanical sizing tables 10 which extend laterally, and their sizing devices corresponding to the different bins 11 deflect the melons or fruit into the proper bins.

In order to prevent injuring the fruit or vegetable when falling into the bin, I may provide each bin with a yielding false bottom or cloth, one edge of which is attached to the edge of the bin where the fruit comes into it. The other end of the sheet hangs over the outer edge 11 of the bin, and car ries a counterweight 11". his gets the effect of a bag to receive the fruit, the bottom of which becomes more and more depressed as the fruit or vegetables collect in it. \Vhen this occurs the sheet 11 slides freely over the edge 11' of'thebin. A narrow bead 10 is provided along the edge of each belt 10. This beadprevents the fruit from falling off the belt until passed off by a sizing device.

What I claim is 1. In an app ratus for sizing fruit or melons, the combination of a hand-sorting table with conveyor means for advancing the fruit, said table having rails extending part of the length of the conveying means from its delivery end toward its receiving end, and dividing the same into a plurality of open runways adapted to receive the fruit or melons of different g ades moved about on' the same by the hands of operators located beside the table, and a plurality of laterally extending mechanical sizing tables corresponding respectively to the different runways and receiving the fruit or melons therefrom, each of said lateral sizing tables having a belt for advancing the fruit, bins for the different sizes of fruit alongside of the lateral sorting tables, and gauge devices for sorting the fruit of different sizes into the bins.

2. In an apparatus for sizing fruit or melons, the combination of a hand-sorting table with conveyor means for advancing the fruit, said table having rails extending part of the length of the conveying means from its delivery end toward its receiving end, and dividing the same into a plurality of open runways, the spaceon the conveyor means in front of the rail ends operating to receive the fruit or melons of diiferent gradeto be moved about on the same by the hands of operators located beside the table, and a plurality of laterally extending mechanical sizing tables corresponding respectively to the different runways and receiving the fruit or melons therefrom, each of said lateral sizing tables having a belt for advancing the fruit, bins for the different sizes of fruit along side of the lateral sorting tables, and gauge devices extending across the sorting tables for deflecting the fruit of different sizes into the bins.

3. In apparatus for sizing or gaging fruit, melons or the like, having conveying means for advancing the fruit, the combination of a gage device extending transversely across the conveying means and having a soft flexible flap with its lower edge horizontal and located at a distance from the conveying means, operating to engage the fruit and de-.

l'lect the same off of the conveying means without injury to the fruit.

In apparatus for sizing or gaging fruit, melons or the like, having conveying means for advancing the fruit, the combination of a gage device having a transversely disposed rigid member extending in an inclined position across and above the conveying means and having a soft flexible flap with its lower edge horizontal and located at a distance from the conveying means operating to engage the fruit and deflect the same off the conveying means. 7

In apparatus for sizing or gaging fruit, melons or the like, having conveying means for advancing the fruit, the combination of a gage device having a transversely disposed rigid member extending across in an inclined position above the conveying means and having a soft flexible flap with its lower edge horizontal, and located at a distance from the conveying means operating to engage the fruit and deflect the same off the conveying means, and means for adjusting the rigid member up or down to Vary the size of the fruit which will be permitted to pass the 10 gage. I v

Signed at Modesto, California this 23 day 0i September 1926.

ALBERT W. PHELPS. 

